National Junior Honor Society
National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) honors academically talented students who also demonstrate five key qualities held in high esteem by NJHS – Scholarship, Service, Leadership, Character, and Citizenship. Last Thursday, current NJHS members and inductees were celebrated in the treasured tradition of the Lighting of the Candles during the NJHS Induction Ceremony. It was a wonderful event that recognized all of the members in The Christ School’s Chapter. The group is sponsored by TCS 7th and 8th grade language arts teacher Tracy Sheldon, who says, “I look forward to leading the students this year as we work together to create different service projects that will help not only our school, but also those in the community.” Members will elect NJHS Officers next week.
I am not certain how much you have heard about the task that was at hand for your group, but they were given a challenge of immense proportions and they rose to it efficiently and fervently. The group came to my home county and served one of my neighbors (literally about 1.5 miles down the road from the house I just sold) and blessed her with love and service. They spent two days involved in sheer backbreaking physical labor as they hand dug a completely new septic system on her property. This is work that is typically done with heavy equipment and that most people would never entertain the idea of undertaking by hand. They dug 150′ (actually 160′ because someone who shall remain nameless measured the ditches a little long when he laid things out) of ditch, 3′ in width, and 20″-25″ in depth, installed the trench material and covered it up. All this in a day and a half on the property!
I just want to tell you that I was absolutely blown away by your group! First of all the staff that came with the students were absolutely amazing. I had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Coryell, Mrs. Ross, and Coach Vais. The interaction between these leaders and their students was nothing short of awe inspiring. The staff are true leaders for these young people. They quickly demonstrated to me that they were not only willing to lead by direction, but that they had a great commitment to leading by example. To watch them standing alongside the students with shovel, pick, or rake in hand, working as hard as they could was a true blessing. I have worked alongside with or inspected for many of the groups with ReCreation and several other similar organizations and often do not see this deep commitment to leadership by example (both in attitude and labor). Secondly the parents that came as chaperones were awesome! Again, I was encouraged by the commitment that they had to these students and to the work that they were there to do. They never backed down from the task at hand, and encouraged the students with a committed spirit and demeanor and this commitment helped to keep the students focused and driven to achieve the goals of the task placed in front of them. Finally, I cannot begin to explain how impressed I was with your students! These young people were absolutely great! They never complained, they just served. They knew what they were there to do, and they did it. Not to mention the first day the sun beat down without a cloud in the sky, and the second day it barely reached 50 degrees and the rain and wind blew the entire time they worked! It always amazes me to watch these groups come to an unfamiliar area, far away from the comfort of home and without all of their normal amenities, and never back down from a chance to serve. Your group, however, was one of the most productive I have ever seen! They accomplished more in one day with the septic than any other group their size (and even some larger) has accomplished. Many of the groups I have worked with are older, and if I am being honest I was a little concerned when I heard that the group consisted of only seventh graders, but they proved me wrong! You truly have a great group, and I hope that this type of ministry is continued to be supported and encouraged at your school, because I know the difference that it makes on both sides of those involved. Each one of these groups I meet or work with continues to change and encourage me, but your particular group did so in a huge way! Thank for being obedient to the path that is set before you and the school, and thanks for the opportunity for me to have a very small involvement in it!